Government Announces Funding for Air Service to Rural Areas to End as Early as This Weekend

Federal officials has stated that funds from a US government program that subsidizes airline routes to rural airports are scheduled to end as soon as Sunday due to the ongoing government shutdown.

The US transportation department stated that financial assistance under the Essential Air Service initiative are expected to expire as early as this weekend after the agency moved separate financial resources from the FAA as an temporary measure.

Transportation officials is currently notifying airline operators about the financial gap and alerting communities about potential effects.

Federal authorities provides approximately $350m in yearly financial support for the program.

In recent months, the administration suggested reducing financial support by $308 million for the Essential Air Service, which enjoys popularity among GOP legislators because it provides services to predominantly Republican rural regions.

During the initial term of the former president, the administration suggested terminating the Essential Air Service initiative – but Congress chose to boost funding instead.

This initiative typically subsidizes two return flights each day using medium-sized planes – or more frequent flights with smaller planes. Officials report that under the program, approximately 65 areas in Alaska receive service and 112 locations across the remaining states and the territory that likely wouldn't have any airline service.

“All states across the country will be impacted,” the transportation chief commented during a press conference, observing the program had bipartisan support. “We lack the money for that program going forward.”